While fellow board members praised outgoing Mineola school board Vice President Terence Hale for his service at last Thursday night’s meeting, the father of Jackson Avenue School student blasted Hale for “idiotic statements” he made in an e-mail about his son being saved by a fellow student from choking on a carrot.
“I don’t find anything funny with my little kid nearly dying in school,” said Steven Jones, father of Steven Jones. “I think it’s atrocious that you should make such idiotic statements.”
His wife, Laurain Jones, also slammed Hale for his remarks about her son, who was saved from choking by his friend and fellow fourth grader Nicholas Ramos in the Jackson Avenue School cafeteria on Jan. 25.
“His lips turned blue, his face turned purple. There was no air. There is nothing to joke about,” Laurain Jones said of the incident. “Yet someone jokes about Nicholas getting the key to the village. Maybe he should get the key to the village.”
Hale recently resigned from the board after Trustee Irene Parrino sent copies of e-mails Hale sent to board members that she characterized as “derogatory” and “demeaning” to the state commissioner of education seeking Hale’s removal from the board for misconduct.
A copy of the complaint later provided to the Williston Times by Parrino included e-mails to fellow board members in April characterized by sarcasm, locker room humor and off-color comments aimed towards Parrino, Mineola Teachers Association President Teresa Hafner, and the Williston Times, among others. Included were comments Hale made about the choking incident and an award the Village of Mineola made to Ramos for saving Jones’ life.
“What about the hiney lick maneuver? Everyone should know that,” Hale said in the e-mail. He went on to add: “It seems a fruit basket is not a thoughtful condolence gift…Perhaps a vegetable tray…Everything diced and julienned…okay no carrots…turnips ok?…As far as an adult not being there…They didn’t see it happen…however plenty of recognition was given to the boys…Perhaps a Key to the Village…”
Parrino, who had clashed with Hale and other members of the board over the school reconfiguration plan passed two years ago, filed the complaint after her loss in the school board election in May.
Hale resigned effective July 1, he said, to save the district the expense of hiring counsel to defend his actions.
The board will meet on June 27 at 7 p.m. to interview all candidates who have submitted letters to be considered for Hale’s seat. Board President Will Hornberger said two letters had been received from prospective candidates as of last Thursday with a deadline of June 25 for anyone else interested in serving on the board.
The board may also interview candidates for the principal position at Jackson Avenue being vacated by Patricia Malloy, who is retiring.
Both Hale and Parrino will be part of that selection process on Thursday.
In response to his comments at the meeting, Hale told Steven Jones, “I apologized to you.”
Jones replied, “You apologized to me?”
Hale repeated that he had, rose from his seat, walked toward Jones and the two men embraced as Hale said, “I’m sorry man.”
But Laurain Jones was not satisfied with Hale’s apology.
She expressed frustration with board members “ignorantly following the chain of command” in refusing to meet with her and Linda Ramos about the choking incident and a reprimand that Nicholas had subsequently received from a cafeteria aide. Linda Ramos said the cafeteria aide punished Nicholas because he immediately acted to save his friend’s life instead of seeking adult assistance first.
“There is still a negative attitude in the Jackson Avenue cafeteria,” Jones said.
Some of her son’s classmates, she said, were “scared” to get out of their chairs and help him.
“You should be embarrassed for what you said,” Jones said. “It was horrible. The thing that brought you to your resignation was your words…When your lips turn blue, you lose oxygen to the brain. My son could have come home to me a very different child than when he left. You’re accountable for your words. I don’t know what’s funny about that.”
Hale offered no response to Laurain Jones’ comments.
In a statement issued by teacher’s association president Hafner last week, she also criticized Hale and the board.
The teachers association, she said, “was disappointed to learn that some members of the board of education privately addressed serious issues with ridicule and childish insults. We hope that this sad episode reminds the Board of their obligations to all parts of the school community.”
On April 30 Hale responded to e-mails from Mineola Superintendent of Schools Michael Nagler and board Trustee Artie Barnett about Hafner encouraging teachers to wear red T-shirts in support of each other.
“This woman (the spineless yellow-bellied leader) is a disgrace to Mineola,” Hale wrote.
In the same e-mail he referred to district teachers as “her clueless minions” and went on to say of Hefner “really shouldn’t be in any leadership role.”
He added, “She is nothing more than a hypocrite and a liar.”
At the outset of the board meeting, trustees Christine Napolitano and Artie Barnett thanked Hale for his school board service.
Referring to the district consolidation initiative she, Hale and Hornberger championed, Napolitano called it an “arduous journey” that caused her “sleepless nights.”
“Terry’s commitment was always about how to give opportunities to every child while keeping an eye on the piggy bank,” she said.
In his statement, Barnett referred to the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” saying, “Had Terry Hale not sat on this board, this school district might have been the Pottersville School District or worse yet, Herrneola.”
“Herrneola” was a reference to former board Trustee John McGrath’s suggestion that the Mineola School District explore merging with the Herricks School District – an idea rejected by members of both school boards.
“Terry certainly leaves this district better than he found it and he should be thanked at every opportunity,” Barnett said.
Barnett presented Hale with a copy of Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer” and the two men embraced.
Parrino, who was attending her final regular board meeting, thanked residents for her three years of service on the board and congratulated her successor, Patricia Navarra, on her victory.
Referring to the testimonials for Hale, she said, “Obviously they’re friends of Mr. Hale’s and I’m not going to comment.”
Hornberger told Hale, “Thank you. Thanks you for being my friend. We have crossed many bridges and I look forward to continuing that friendship under less stressful circumstances.”
Nagler said board members become friends through long association.
“It is upsetting to me the way this year is ending,” he said.
“We have a lot be proud of…We have a bad case of overlooking the good stuff and focusing on the silly stuff,” he added.
After receiving thanks from fellow board members, Hale said he had been “proud” to serve on the school board for the past five years.
“We never faltered. We were never blown off course. This recent incident will not stop us – and I won’t let it. That is why I am stepping down. I will not rescind this,” he said.
Parrino recently said she would not withdraw her complaint with the state education commissioner against Hale because she was concerned he might “un-resign.”
In a rambling statement, Hale went on to quote from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in which Paul cites hope, faith and love being the principle virtues, with the greatest being love.
Hale then referred to 1,000 Mineola students being equipped with iPads next year and said, “We should be talking about our kids, not what was discussed among five adults and one little girl.”
“I thank you and I’ll be back. I love you guys,” he concluded.
In other developments:
• The school board unanimously approved a transfer of funds not to exceed $4 million from the school district’s unassigned fund balance to its capital reserve fund for replacement of doors and windows and to do brick pointing at the four district elementary schools, – Meadow Drive, Hampton Street, Willis Avenue and Cross Street. Cross Street is currently being leased to the Solomon Schechter Day School and most of the Willis Avenue School is leased to Harbor Day Care.
“I would anticipate an October vote to spend the money,” Nagler said.
Authorization to spend the money for improvements at the schools would require a public referendum, according to Jack Waters, Mineola assistant superintendent of business. He said the transfer of funds would still leave money in the unassigned fund balance equal to 4 percent of the district budget, or approximately $3.2 million.
• Nagler said state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) has secured a $50,000 grant to allow the school district to purchase 100 iPads and provide wireless Internet service from Sprint for 100 families who currently lack Web access in their homes. He said Sprint offers a $15 monthly wi-fi plan. The district would trade in iPads to receive new models equipped with a Sprint chip.
“The device is kind of useless without Internet accessibility,” Nagler said.
He said Nassau BOCES may eventually “buy into” the Sprint service, reducing costs for participating districts.
“A lot of districts are purchasing iPads and trying to figure out what to do with them,” Nagler said.
